Apparatus for cooling and degasifying liquids



Feb. 6, 1940. E. LITTLE 2,

APPARATUS FOR coomue AND DEGASIFYING LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J llfVENTOR.

1 22km LITTLE A TT ORNE Y Feb. 6, 1940. E. LITTLE 2,189,146

' APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DEGASIFYING LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YINVENTOR. [32711430 511725 A TTORNEY PatentedFeb. 6, 1949 a I 1 APPARATUS FOR COOLING DEGASIFYING LIQUIDS .Edward time, Saginaw, Mich.

Application January 7, 1938, Serial No. 183,821

2 Claims. (01. 2579-74) This invention relates to apparatus for cooling and degasifying liquids; for example, fresh milk,

and more particularly to cooling apparatus wherein the liquid container is kept covered by a 5 constantlyflowing thin film of cool water while the liquid, here-referred to as milk, moves in a closed circuit vertically along thesides of the can,

returningjin a centrally flowing current. At the top of its travel the current of milk presents continually changing liberating surfaces for gases and odors. The gases, being warmer and consequently lighter than the surroundingatmosphere,

pass off by rising through suitable vents.

The arrangement of parts is such that during I the cooling operation no air currents can get to the liquid surface without first passing through a curtain-like spray of falling water thatwashes away dust particles and so prevents contamina tion.

Among the desirable objects attained by my inventionare the following: I

' Effective coo-ling using a small quantity of water; utilizing'the cooling water as apower source for stirring the milk; easy' and convenient means for fixing theldevice to a can or container and for removing it after cooling hasbeen completed;

ease and simplicity of cleaning and. sterilizing the apparatus. f

Regarded more specifically, the

comprising a preferred embodiment has the following advantageous features:

The impeller and the stirrer is a single operating unitfreely suspended from an anti-friction bearing. Consequently it runs true and without appreciable friction or Wear, i

The distributor for the cooling water has the form of an inverted bowl with an external trough around its rim. It provides a collecting dome.

for the gases and vapors, having a water cooled 40 surface over the entire top and sides of the dome,

and serves also as a point of suspension for the impeller and the stirrer elements. There is also a novel arrangement whereby the cooling water, after having been used to drive the impeller, is flowed evenly in a thin sheet over the top face of the distributor and over the side wall of its trough, to provide complete cooling for the liberated gases. I v

With the foregoing and certain other objects tion, my invention comprises the devices described and claimed and the equivalents thereof. In the drawings, Fig. l isa vertical sectional iew, partly broken away, showing the invention flaring rim.

mechanism i in View, which will appear later in the specificaembodied in a preferred form and applied to a milk can of conventional shape.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detailview of one of the vent caps."

;Fig. 3 is a plan view of the adapter ring in the neck of the can, supporting the mechanism for cooling and stirring. f

Fig. 4 isa side view of the gudgeon withtwo anti-friction bearings in' place, one supporting I the working parts, the other'for guiding theiml0 peller hub.

Fig." 5 is a part sectional detail view showing the running connection between the fixed gudgeon and the rotatable impeller hub.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the 1m eller and 18 I I blades. w p In the preferred construction shown, numeral l designates a container ior 't'he liquid to be cooled, for example, a milk can, having the usual inclined shoulder and a neck 2 with an outwardly hasalrea'dy been stated, thecooling 1 degasjifying apparatus is adaptedto be removably seated onsuchacan for cooling the mill; or other liquid contained in it. The apparatus consists 25 of a Water distributing device that iunctions'to keep'the body and the inclinedshoulder of the. can covered with a thin film of flowing water so as to absorb and carry away the heat from the can and its contents, although using the smallest practicable quantity of water. Associated with the distributor is a stirrer projecting down'into the can, and an impeller for actuatingthe stirrer.

In the form illustrated theimpeller is'waterdriven and the water that has operatedthe'im- $5 peller 'isused again for cooling. a p The entire assembly, consisting of the water distributor, the impeller and the stirrer, is preferably constructed as a single apparatus that can be set on a can and removed therefrom as 0 easily as an ordinary can cover. M p The water distributor is aV-shaped annular ring and the impeller is a revolvable hub'having radial blades and is mounted in a housing on top of the water distributor. The stirrer is a bladed wheel on the lower end of a spindle that pro-,

iects downwardly through the domeof thewater distributor. i i

] Referring to 1, aring 3fin'th e neck ,Ziof

the canHlsupports the "water distributor. The a,

ring 3 has three upstanding posts 4 and an outwardly projecting flange Baround itsrim. 'A plate- 6 rests on the posts 4. This plate'is the top or crown plate of thewater distributorjAn an-.

nular V-shaped trough Tis provided on plate 6, i

having suitable outlets 8 at its bottom. These outlets are arranged so that water supplied to the trough will form a thin curtain of cooling liquid around the neck of the can and spaced therefrom as indicated at S in Fig. 1. The curtain of water falls upon the inclined shoulder l of the can and spreading over it flows down, completely enveloping the can in a film of moving water.

The posts 4, crown plate 6, and wall 9 of the impeller housing, are fastened together by screws l0,

Trough 1 gets its supply of water from the impeller housing, there being a small clearance, indicated by the curved arrow in Fig. 1, between plate 6 and the bottom edge of wall 9, through which the water flows. I

When the impeller is a water motor as shown I herein, the spent water can be used for cooling.

Obviously, however, the trough I may be supplied with water from any suitable source.

At the center of the crown plate 5 is an upstanding annular flange l, and an aperture 12. Flange ll serves as a barrier to keep water from passing into the can.

Numeral l3 designates one or more upright passageways that connect the air space above the mouth of the can with the outside air, so that vapors and gases can escape from the material into the atmosphere. Each vent passage l3 has a cap M with apertures l5 and a fine mesh screen l6 that prevents dust from entering the can. A reduced portion l1 enables the cap to be removably fitted into the vent passage l 3, as shown in Fig. 2 The roof !8 of the impeller housing 9 has a central aperture l9 covered by a dome 211. The part l8 also has a water inlet 2! provided with a hose connection.

The weight of all themov'lng parts is suspended from the top of the dome as follows, reference being to Fig. 1 and, for details, to Figs. 4 and 5.

A fixed gudgeon 22 has its upper threaded end secured to the top of dome 20 by a nut 21. Mounted on the gudgeon is an anti-friction bearing 23. The weight of the impeller and the stirrer, in fact the weight of all'moving parts,

7 is carried by this bearing, as is indicated by the two arrows in Fig. 4,

Numeral 2 1 designates the hub and 25 the blades of the impeller, the detail arrangement rotate without touching flange H or plate 6. l

At the upper threaded. end of the gudgeon stem 22 is a nut 21, used to clamp a spacer sleeve 28 between the roof of dome 20 and the inner face of the bearing 23. Thus dome 20, gudgeon 22, spacer 28, and the inner race of the antifriction bearing 23 are as one immovable piece; yet the outer race of bearing .23 vis free to rotate in, a horizontal plane.

The impeller hub 24 is clamped to this rotatable outer race by an externally threaded ring nut 3i (see Fig. 5) which is received in the threaded end of the hub 24. The impeller being thus suspended on the anti-friction bearing 23, is whirled by a stream of water from the inlet 2!, thereby stirring the contents of the can. Spacer sleeve 28. has an outwardly and downwardly projecting flange 29 which acts as a water shed to prevent the entrance of water into the bore of the hub, there being a slight clearance 30 between the top of hub 24 and flange 29 so as to avoid frictional running contact between their surfaces. To prevent swaying when rotated, gudgeon 22 is provided with a steady bearing 32 which may be fastened by swaging a reduced bottom end portion of the gudgeon, as shown in Fig. 4.

Projecting downwardly from the bottom of the hub through the opening 12 inthe crown plate 6 is a spindle 33, and a detachable extension rod 34 is secured thereto at 35, carrying a bladed stirrer 36 at its lower end. The shape of blades and their annular arrangement on therodi-M is appropriate to cause the liquid in the can to be impelled upwardly in a central column and to return downwardly adjacent the side walls of the can, in the manner indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, reducing to a minimum the rotational or swirling action of the fluid and thereby getting maximum cooling contact of the milk with the water-cooled walls or" the can.

Although there is shown and described herein a water-driven impeller, being a preferred means for actuating the stirrer in the liquid, an electric motor'may be employed for some kinds of work. Obviously, however, the type of motor used is a'matter of choice, although the water impeller has advantages, one being that the same water used to drive the impeller can be used again as coolant for the walls of the can.

The shape and size of the trough I is made to suit therim of the container. Conventional milk cans are usually shaped as in Fig. l, with an outwardly'flaring flange at the rim and a downwardly and outwardly flaring shoulder l, in which case it is advisable to arrange the distributor trough so that its outlets 8 shall be located somewhat below the rim of the can and spaced outwardly therefrom as at S, Fig. l, in order to assure that water will fall from the trough in a practically continuous curtain extending around the neck of the container and spaced outwardly from it. Withthat arrangement all atmospheric air entering the can must first pass through 'thiscurtain of water and be washed, and no water from trough 1 can get into the container.

Water may be supplied to trough 1 from any desired source such as a water supply pipe not shown. It preferably flows first onto the crown plate 6 and from there outwardly down the sloping sides of the trough and out through the apertures 8. The apertures are preferably made by drilling peripherally spaced holes through the bottom of the trough so that they will direct the water inwardly and downwardly, it having been found in practice that this arrangement provides an effective wall or curtain of water, but the outlets may be in the form of elongated slits, or openings of any other suitable shape.

In the preferred form shown in Fig. l cooling water. is delivered onto the crown plate 6 after having entered the impeller housing through the water inlet2l, and after having acted on impeller 25. The inner end of Water inlet 2|, not shown, is shaped to project the water as a jet against the blades 25. 1

Water falling onto the crown plate 6 is prevented fromleaking into the container through the aperture 12 of the plate by the upstanding annular flange H. Undesirable accumulation of water in the impeller housing is prevented by making the opening beneath the bottom edge of the housing large enough to dispose of the water as fast as it enters the inletZl.

As will be noted from the foregoing description of the trough I and its mode of operation,

the outer surfaces of the parts 6 and l are completelycovered with water during the time the Posts i are preferably integral with the ring 3, and providea clearancespace between the rim of the neck 2 and the inner wall I of the trough, so that if the neck of the can becomes bent the firm seating of the apparatus will not be affected. i i

In operation, the substance to be cooled and degasified, for instance, warm milk, whenagitated by the stirrer 3G in the manner already.

described, will give'oif its heat to the cooled walls of the container and the gases and odors will. be released at the liquid'level. Such gases are vented out through the passages l3 and openings 15 in the vent caps l4. These vents are sohigh above the top I8 of the impeller housing that-the chance of accidentally getting water or dirt into the container is minimized. The fine mesh screen IE is a further protectio against admission of dust particles. i

It is important in an apparatus of this character that the working parts shall rotate with utmost ease to enable the device to be operated the impeller 24, 25. exposing ring nut 3| and the inner race of anti After unscrewing the ring 3! by a very slight amount of power. For that pur pose the hub 24, spindle 33, rod 34, and stirrer 36 are all suspended directly from the antlfriction bearing 23 and while hanging straight down can be rotated easily by a comparatively feeble water stream against theblades 25. The lower antifriction bearing 32 is not depended upon to carry any of the weight load, but serves as a guiding or steadying device to keep the stirrer axially alined with the gudgeon 22. a simple motor suspensionthat is practically free from harmful wear, avoiding, in practice any possibility of clogging or of being retarded in its action by particles of sand or grit in the water pply- Since very slight water pressure is necessary it is feasible to operate this apparatus in dairies and on farms where only a small head of water i available,

After having been used for cooling, the apparatus can be lifted out of the container and washed or even sterilized by immersing it in boiling water,

and when. it becomes necessary to clean anyindividual parts, the device can be disassembled and I reassembled in a few minutes.

After unfasteningthe nut 21 and the screws It) the sleeve 20 and housing are lifted off, exposing Spacer 2B is then lifted off,

friction bearing 23. the gudgeon 22 with its two bearings 23 and 32 can be lifted out of the bore of hub, 24. Thus all of the supports and guides for the impeller can be entire impeller piece.

This arrangement provides Each piece is shaped so it can be easily scoured, sterilized, and dried, as is apparent from inspection of Fig. 1. Moreover, each part is designed to require a minimum amount of machine work,

thus reducing the cost of manufacture.

From the foregoing it will be apparent thatmy improvement involves the primary idea of simple means for contacting the upright walls of a container with a flowing film of water, and surrounding the neck of the containerby afreely falling curtain of; water spaced therefrom and also surrounding the space above the top rim of the conminer with a' layer of water that flows over the I crown plate 6 and down the side walls of the trough. Thus the entire container except the bottom is completely enclosed in a film of running water duringthe cooling operation, yet washed air has access to the interior of the top portion of the can, by passing through the curtain of water at S. l 7

The liberated warm gases and odors pass freely up through the vents. [3, so that when cooling is completethe contents ofthe can are found to be in thoroughly degasified condition. In the cooling of new milk, this action is so thorough that no trace of undesirable odors remain andthe wide area of liberating surface for gas and odors below the central portion of the water distributing crown plate 5. The rising gas escapes upwardly through the vents l3. Air entering between the trough l and rim 2 can mix with the escaping gases, but all such entering air will be washed free of dust bythe veilof failling water at S.

Having thus described my invention, what I 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

v1. In a water distributing device adapted to be applied to a container for cooling liquid therein, said device having a crown plate with a central aperture and means for supporting the plate upwardly spaced from the rim of the container, the crown plate having an apertured trough around its periphery; a housing carried by the crown plate and having the bottom edges of its side walls spaced above said plate to present a small clearance for. water flowing from said housing, a gudgeon projecting downwardly from the roof of said housing and carrying a rotatable bladed hub, the lower end of said hub formed with an annular channel, an upstanding annular flange integral with the crown plate and loosely received in said annular flange and a downwardly directed spindle coaxial with said hub; said channel and annular flange serving to prevent water on the crown plate from entering the container through the central aperature therein.

2,. In a cooling-device for milk cans, including a crown plate and a downwardly extending peripheral apertured trough thereon, and having a water actuated impeller supported in the housing communicating with'the space below said crown plate and extending above said housing, and an apertured vent capfor each pipe for escape of,

gases from the space beneath the crown plate.

EDWARD 

